Can opener



Oct. 30, 1962 J. R. BOYETT 3,060,567

CAN OPENER Filed Aug. 51, 1960 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 James R. Bagel! INVE TOR.

Mam?" BY y ZQ Oct. 30, 1962 J. R. BOYETT 3,060,567

CAN OPENER Filed Aug. 31, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 James R. Boyeff I N V EN TOR.

3,060,567 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 Fice 3,060,567 CAN OPENER James R. Boyett, 2466 Lafayette St., Fort Myers, Fla. Filed Aug. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 53,283 3 Claims. (Cl. 304) The present invention generally relates to a device for opening containers and more particularly cans for purposes of pouring liquid from the cans.

Many commodities are presently being packaged and sold in containers generally known as tin cans. Various types of beverages are distributed in this manner including beer which quite often is consumed directly from the can. When the cans are being distributed on a volume basis, it is quite diflicult to rapidly open the cans with the usually provided manually operated openers. Further, it is necessary to make two diametrically opposed openings in the top of the can in order for the products in the container to be consumed. Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide an electrically powered and automatically operated can opener including a novel mechanism for receiving and retaining the can in desired position and opening the can upon reciprocation of an opener head together with a novel mechanism for operating the reciprocating head.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a can opener which is simple in construction, easy to use, dependable and long lasting, automatic in operation and generally inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the can opener of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the construction of FIGURE 1 illustrating the can opener in can opening position;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the construction of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4 -4 of FIGURE 3 illustrating the details of construction of the reciprocating cutter head;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the reciprocating cutter head illustrating the cylindrical construction there and the details of the cutter elements; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of the electrical circuit for controlling the can opener and showing two of the switches in cross section.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the can opener of the present invention which is supported on a generally oval shaped flat base 12 which may conveniently be in the form of an oval shaped plate having supporting feet 14 thereon. The base 12 may be supported in any suitable manner and may be anchored to any desired supporting surface.

Mounted on the base 12 is a U-shaped supporting bracket 14 for an electric motor 16. The motor 16 is attached to the bracket 14 by the usual split clamps 18 detachably connected to the bracket 14 and having the ends thereof secured together by a screw member 20. The manner of connecting the motor '16 to the bracket 14 is conventional.

Also rigidly aflixed to the base 12 is a plurality of vertically extending parallel supporting rods or posts 22 which extend between the base 12 and a top member generally designated by the numeral 24. The top member includes a pair of L-shaped plates 26 and 28 which have the horizontal flange thereof secured in position as by use of a screw threaded member 30. The horizontal flanges are rigidly attached to the supporting posts 22 thus rigidly securing the members 26 and 28 to the posts 22. Adjacent one end of the members 26 and 28, there is provided a notch 32 in the member 28 which receives a pulley 34 mounted on a shaft 36 rotatably supported from hearing sleeves 38 supported in any suitable manner by the horizontal flange of the member 28.

The shaft 36 is provided with a worm gear 40 thereon which worm gear is rotated due to its connection with the shaft 36 and due to the rotational movement of the pulley 34 imparted thereto by a V-belt 42 which encircles the drive V-pulley 44 connected with the output shaft of the motor 16. Thus, as the motor 16 is energized, the shaft 36 will be rotated thus rotating the worm gear 40.

In meshing engagement with the gear 40 is a worm pinion '42 rotatably carried by shaft 44 extending through and journaled in the vertical flanges of the members 26 and 28 with the shaft 44 being held in place by a removable cam '46.

Spaced towards the ends of the plates 26 and 28 in remote relation to the pulley 34 there is provided a transverse shaft 4-8 having a pinion gear 50 thereon. The end of the shaft 48 which extends outwardly on the same side as the gear 4-2 is provided with an offset arm or crank 52 rigid therewith. The outer end of the crank is pivotally connected to a connecting link 54 by virtue of a pivot pin 56. The other end of the link 54 is connected to the gear 42 by virtue of a pivot pin 58 with the pivot pin '58 being eccentrically disposed on the gear 42 in relation to the shaft 44.

Thus, as the gear 42 rotates, the pivot pin 58 will be revolved about the center of the shaft 44. The connecting link 54 will causethe arm 52 to oscillate about the shaft '48 thus causing the pinion 50 to oscillate about the shaft 48. One position of the connecting link 54 and arm '52 is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 while the lowered position or actuated position of the link 54 and associated structure is illustrated in FIGURE 2.

Depending from the horizontal flanges of the members 26 and 28 and rigidly secured thereto is a cylindrical guide member 60 having the lower end thereof engaging the the base 12. The upper portion of the cylindrical member "60 is solid and the lower portion thereof is provided with an enlarged cutout area 62 which has suflicient height for receiving a can such as a beer can or other can for beverages and which also is provided with cutouts 64 in the side edges of the cutout 62 thus providing an area for the fingers and thumb of a hand to be disposed when gripping a can during the opening operation.

Reciprocating in the cylindrical member 62 is a cylindrical cutter head 66 having a longitudinally extending stem or rack rigid and integral therewith. The rack or stem 68 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced teeth 70 on one surface thereof in meshing engagement with the gear 50 whereby oscillationof the gear 50 will cause reciprocation of the cutter head 66. The lower end of the cylindrical cutter head 66 is provided with a pair of tubular cutters 72 each being tubular in construction and provided with a hollow central bore 74.

Disposed interiorly of the central member 60 generally in the center of the vertical height thereof, a switch 76 is provided with a slidable actuating button or plunger 78 which is actuated by a can 110 inserted into the area under the cutter head 66.

A switch 80 having a slidable operating plunger 82 is mounted on frame member 26 with the plunger disposed for engagement by the cam 46 which rotates with the shaft 44. The switches 76 and 80 are of the same general type and the plungers 78 and 82 are normally spring urged outwardly by tension springs 112 and 114. The switch 76 is provided with a contact arm 84 pivoted at 116 and connected with power source line 86. The arm 84 is movable between contact points 88 and 90 and is normally spring biased into engagement with the contact point 90 and away from the contact point 88 by spring 112. The switch 86 is provided with a pivotal contact arm 92 engaged with an electric conductor 94 extending to the motor 16. The contact arm 92 is centrally pivoted at 118 and engages contacts 96 and 98 respectively. Spring 114 tends to urge arm 92 into contact with contact point 96. The contact 96 is connected to an electric conductor 100 extending to contact point 88. The contact point 98 is connected with a conductor 102 connected with the contact point 90. The power source is also provided with an electric conductor 184 connected with the motor 16 for completing the circuit and the conductor 86 is provided with a suitable manual switch 106 for energizing and deenergizing the can opener.

In operation the motor 16 will be actuated by virtue of the can 110 forcing the plunger 78 inwardly thus moving the contact arm 84 to engagement with the contact point 88. When the can is first inserted into the machine, rack 68 will be in an elevated position and the plunger 82 will be abutting the small diameter portion of cam 46 and thus permitting the contact arm 92 to be urged by spring 114 into engagement with the contact point 96. It is to be noted that substantially the entire outer surface of the cam 46 is cylindrical except for a raised portion 47 which extends only a few degrees circumferentially of the periphery of the cam. When the arm 84 is forced into contact with the contact point 88, this will complete a circuit through line 86, contact arm 84, contact point 88, conductor 100, contact point 96, contact arm 92 and conductor 94. The motor 16 thus becomes energized and continuous to rotate the cam 44 until it has rotated almost one complete revolution. After the cam has moved almost one complete revolution, the raised portion 47 of the cam pushes the plunger 82 into the housing of switch 80 so as to move the contact arm 92 to the position illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 6. In this position, the circuit to the motor is interrupted since its arm 92 is in engagement with the contact point 98 rather than the contact point 96. While the motor 16 rotates the cam 46 through almost one complete revolution to the position shown in FIGURES 4 and 6, it also forces the rack 68 downwardly and up again so as to open the can 110. When the can 110 has been opened and is removed from the machine, the plunger 78 and arm 84 are moved to the left by tension spring 112 so as to cause the arm 84 to contact the contact point 90. This momentarily completes a circuit through arm 84, contact 90, line 102, contact 98 and arm 92 so as to energize the motor 16 whereupon it rotates the cam 46 counterclockwise a few degrees until the plunger 82 is forced by spring 114 onto the small diameter portion of the cam. The spring 114 also pivots the arm 92 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot axis 118 so as to urge it into engagement with contact 96 and break the circuit to the motor. Thus, it is apparent that when a new can is reinserted into the machine the arm 84 is rotated counterclockwise as seen in FIGURE 6 so as to complete a circuit through this arm, the contact 88, the conductor 100, contact 96 and arm 92 so as to repeat the cycle explained above.

With this construction, insertion of the can will cause operation of the motor to lower the punches and raise the punches back to a predetermined point at which time the motor will be stopped. Then after the container or can is removed, the motor will again be actuated for a relatively short period of time until the cam again operates the contact arm so that it will be set for another operation and for further action when the plunger 78 is again operated by the insertion of a can.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A can opener comprising an elongated guide, said guide having an enlarged access open area in one side thereof for receiving a can to be opened, a cutterhead mounted on said guide for vertical reciprocation towards and away from a top of a can to be opened, said cutterhead including a pair of depending punches mounted thereon for penetration of the top of a can, and means engaged with the cutterhead for moving the cutterhead downwardly and upwardly in response to placement of a can to be opened under the cutterhead, said means for reciprocating the cutter head including a vertical stem mounted on the cutter head, a plurality of teeth formed along one edge of the stem, a supporting frame for guiding the stem, a gear rotatably mounted on the frame and in meshing engagement with the teeth on the stern for reciprocating the stem upon oscillation of the gear in opposite directions, and means for oscillating said gear about its axis of rotation.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for oscillating said gear includes a rotatable shaft, power means connected with the shaft for rotation thereof, and link means connected to said gear eccentrically and connected to said shaft eccentrically whereby rotation of the shaft will cause oscillation of said gear.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said power shaft is connected with a reduction gear mechanism, and a motor for driving the reduction gear mechanism and said shaft, said reduction gear mechanism in cluding a lay shaft mounted on said frame, belt means connected with the lay shaft and the motor, and a worm and pinion drive assembly interconnecting the lay shaft and the power shaft for driving the power shaft at a reduced rotational speed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,481,546 Bethke et al. Jan. 22, 1924 2,639,500 Gillespie May 26, 1953 2,712,176 Miller et al. July 5, 1955 2,713,199 Spencer et al July 19, 1955 2,785,460 Johnson et al. Mar. 19, 1957 2,791,828 Hatchett May 14, 1957 2,825,965 Chess Mar. 11, 1958 2,897,590 Meadows Aug. 4, 1959 2,959,852 Moore Nov. 15, 1960 

